Football fans in Rhondda Cynon Taf can join a Wales-wide celebration of the nation’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 team, when a giant inflatable Cymru shirt arrives in Pontypridd.
The Welsh women’s football team is competing in the Euros for the FIRST time ever – and Rhondda Cynon Taf has been chosen to join the celebrations!
The shirt is arriving in Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, Pontypridd, on Thursday, July 3 from 11am to 7pm to mark the Wales-wide Ein Crys Cymru tour.
It’s a chance for people to visit the park and enjoy a photo opportunity with the shirt, which proudly displays the names of the players selected for the Welsh team, including Gelli’s very own Gemma Evans, who has been playing football since she was 10 and Aberdare’s Alice Griffiths.
People of all ages can be inspired by the achievements of the players and join in the national celebrations as they prepare for their campaign on the world stage at the Euros.
Cllr Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure, said: “What a coup for Rhondda Cynon Taf to be one of the stops in a national tour to celebrate and cheer on our inspirational Wales Women’s team – and what a chance to inspire people to get involved and follow their sporting interests.
“We are lucky to have our Sport RCT and Leisure for Life services on offer to help people follow their interests, develop their skills, be signposted into sporting opportunities and live healthier lifestyles.
“We cannot wait to see the giant shirt – and the achievements it represents – in our park for all to enjoy”
The ‘Ein Crys Cymru’ tour celebrates the Cymru National Team’s higher purpose, ‘To play for change. To play to inspire. For Us. For Them. For Her.’ which honours the trailblazers who fought for the creation of the women’s national team, the current heroes wearing the shirt today, and the future generations still to come.
For many, the Cymru shirt is a symbol of identity, resilience, and belonging. When the national women’s side first formed, players wore borrowed men’s kits. It then wasn’t until 2019 that Cymru’s women players saw their own names proudly printed on the back of their shirts, a landmark moment of recognition and representation.
Former Cymru Captain and UEFA Vice President, Professor Laura McAllister CBE – a former Nos Galan mystery runner – said: “I played for Cymru during a time when having our own kit felt like a luxury. The progress we’ve made since then is extraordinary, and we can see how much more we can still achieve together. The Cymru shirt is more than just fabric, it offers a badge of honour, and this national tour gives us all a moment to reflect, to celebrate, and to show every girl in Wales that they belong in football.”
Cymru Captain, Angharad James said: “When I put on this shirt, it represents every woman who paved the way for us and those who fought to get us here. This Cymru team has earned its place on the biggest stage, and we’ll wear this shirt with pride. This shirt belongs to all of us, and we want every person in Wales to feel part of our journey to Switzerland.”
The FAW’s Women and Girls’ Football Strategic Lead, Bethan Woolley added: “The Cymru shirt is a powerful symbol of how far the women’s game has come and where it’s going. The ‘Ein Crys Cymru’ tour aims to celebrate the women who wear the shirt and embed their stories in the fabric of our nation.
“This tour is part of a wider FAW mission to ensure these history-making players are not only seen but celebrated and truly known. Through different activations ahead of and during the tournament, the FAW will utilise this historic opportunity not only to rally support, but to turn admiration into recognition, and recognition into legacy.”
